VEGGIE MINESTRONE

A friend of mine recently posted a link to a recipe for Minestrone that uses no meat, not even meat stock.  I was immediately curious about it for two reasons:  1) it uses no meat; and 2) it is chock full of vegetables!  

PHOTO:  Almost done!  I've just added the spinach, zucchini, beans and pasta here. 

I am not a vegetarian -- I don't think we were meant to limit our diet in this way -- but I do try to find ways to get more veggies into our diet, so this sounded like something I wanted to try.  So, using the linked recipe as a "template", I went to work customizing it to make it my own!  Honestly, I had my doubts about how much flavor it would have without a good stock for a base, but I was pleasantly surprised.  

Anyway, here is my version of this classic soup:

VEGGIE MINESTRONE

Makes 8 servings

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 large celery ribs, diced

2 cups frozen cut green beans (thaw under cool running water; drain)

1/4 of a green cabbage, coarsely chopped

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes in juice, undrained

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

3 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

8 cups boiling water

1 can (14 oz) cannellini beans (aka white kidney beans), rinsed and drained

2 cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves

2 medium red or gold potatoes, peeled and diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

4 oz uncooked macaroni (any small shape you like; I used mini seashells)

2 tbsp beef-flavored soup base or 2 bouillon cubes (optional; I like the flavor boost this gives, but it isn't essential if you want this to be totally vegan)

Heat the oil over medium-high in a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven or other large deep pot.

Add the onion and garlic, and saute until they just begin to brown.  Immediately add the carrots, celery, thawed green beans, cabbage, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce; stir to distribute.  Next, add the basil, oregano, sugar, sea salt and black pepper.

Now add the boiling water.  [NOTE: You can use cold water if you like, but you will need to bump up the heat and wait for it to come back to boiling -- it's just so much faster if you preheat the water.]  Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender.  Stir occasionally.

It's time to add the cannellini beans, fresh spinach, diced potato and zucchini, and the pasta.  Continue simmering, adjusting heat as needed, until the potatoes are tender and the pasta is cooked.  Add more water, 1 cup at a time, if the pasta absorbs it too quickly.  

During this final stage, be sure to taste the broth and adjust the seasonings to your taste.  This is where I added the soup base;  I consider it a good move as it gave the broth an added depth of flavor, but you can skip it if you prefer.

Garnish each bowl with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan.  Serve with slabs of crusty French bread. 

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NOTE:  This is a very hearty soup, almost a veggie 'stew'.  If you prefer it soupier, simply cut back on the veggie ingredients by about 25%.

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My husband is very particular about his food, so when he went out of his way to poke his head into my 'office' just to tell me "that's some GOOD minestrone", it was high praise indeed :-)

BREAKFAST SCRAPPLE, SOUTHERN-STYLE

Originally, Scrapple was a Pennsylvania Dutch specialty that utilized literally all of the scraps, no matter how nasty, from a butchered hog, but this is a modernized version with a southern twist that is far less work to make and uses simple breakfast sausage instead.  The consistency is a bit like polenta, if you are familiar with that dish, but uses regular cornmeal rather than the coarser polenta grind.  My maternal grandmother's family came from Pennsylvania, but it was my Dad (a born-and-bred Oklahoma boy) who used to make this for us -- and his Tennessee-born mother taught him to make it.  When I was young, we didn't even know it had a name!  We just called it Cornmeal Mush, but we didn't care what it was called.  We just wanted MORE!!!

Anyway, this stuff might sound awful, but it TASTES yummy!  I'm serious.  You definitely need to give this a try.  Not low-calorie, but it is gluten-free, for those of you who worry about gluten. Also, this is definitely a make-ahead dish, so be sure to prepare it the night before for breakfast the next morning.

PHOTO:  Mike's breakfast this morning, hot out of the frying pan! I served it to him right after I snapped this pic.

BREAKFAST  SCRAPPLE

Makes 2 loaves (24 slices);  each loaf serves 4 to 6

8 cups water, divided

1 tsp. salt

3 cups of Albers™ degermed yellow cornmeal

1 pound of Jimmy Dean "All Natural" Pork Sausage (or other pork breakfast sausage of your choice)

In a large deep pot (non-stick, if you have one), bring 4 cups of the water to a boil.  In a large bowl, add the remaining water to the dry cornmeal and stir well.  Stir in the salt.

For this next part, I strongly recommend using a very long handled spoon AND wearing oven mitts on both hands because this stuff gets REALLY thick and when it boils, it "BLURPS" and "PLOPS" just like HOT LAVA, and if it lands on you, it won't be nice.

When the water is boiling rapidly, gradually pour in the cornmeal & water mixture, stirring all the while to avoid sticking and lumping.  Continue stirring until the cooking mixture is boiling steadily and thickening.  This may happen very quickly, so be alert.  Reduce the heat and continue cooking at a low boil, stirring constantly.  It should only take a few minutes -- maybe 5 -- for the cornmeal to become very very thick (think cookie dough).  When this happens, remove it from the heat, set it aside, and go on to the next step.

In a medium skillet, cook and crumble the pork sausage over medium heat until it is separated into small bits (1/2" or less) and all pink is gone.  Cook until any juices boil off, but DO NOT DRAIN the fat.

Dump the sausage (and drippings) into the cornmeal mush and blend thoroughly.  Turn the mixture into two 9" non-stick loaf pans.  If your pans are not non-stick, line the bottoms and sides with a piece of plastic wrap.  Shake or tap the pans to settle out any air bubbles, and smooth the tops of the loaves with the back of a spoon or spatula.  Allow to cool until well-set, then turn out each loaf onto a 2nd generous piece of plastic wrap.  Fold the wrap around the loaf and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, unwrap a loaf on your cutting board and carefully slice into 1/2" thick pieces.   Coat the bottom of a large non-stick skillet with cooking oil (I use extra-light olive oil) and set the heat at medium-high.  Dust the cut pieces very lightly with flour (this helps them brown better) and place gently into the heated oil.  Fry, turning as needed, until deep golden brown and crispy on both sides.

Butter the hot slices of Scrapple generously.  Serve with fried or scrambled eggs, or all by itself.  No toast required!

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NOTE:  I chose the Jimmy Dean "All-Natural" Pork Sausage because it has a real nice down-home flavor .  Just spicy enough, and NO MSG!

I am told that this freezes well.  Just slice and wrap securely, separating the slices with sheets of plastic wrap between so you can get them apart when needed.  Remove from freezer the night before you intend to use it, and thaw in the refrigerator.

THREE-PEPPER PASTA RUSTICA

My own recipe, inspired by yet another dish I had at Olive Garden once, this jazzy sauce is FULL of flavor and makes a very pleasing change-of-pace from more traditional pasta sauces.

Photo: All those bright peppers make this yummy sauce colorful as well as delicious!

THREE-PEPPER PASTA RUSTICA

1 lb. mild Italian sausage*

3 or 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 medium onion, cut in thin wedges

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1/4" x 1" strips

1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1/4" x 1" strips

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1/4" x 1" strips

2 cans (14.5 oz. each) Italian-style stewed tomatoes**

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

*buy bulk if you can, but if it's not available, you can strip the casings from Italian links.

**you can substitute plain diced tomatoes, but if you do, add 2 tsp. dried basil, 1 tsp. dried oregano, and 1 tsp. sugar.

In a 4-qt. pot, brown and crumble the sausage over medium-high heat until all pink is gone. 

Add the minced garlic, chopped onion and all of the cut bell peppers.  Saute and stir for a couple of minutes until the garlic starts to get fragrant and the peppers are bright.

Photo: All those bright peppers make this yummy sauce colorful as well as delicious!

Run the stewed tomatoes briefly thru a food processor, or snip the larger tomato pieces with kitchen shears to make the pieces smaller.  They should be about the same size as canned diced tomato pieces.  Add them to the meat/pepper mixture, along with the tomato paste, stirring to distribute the paste evenly.  Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat to maintain a good simmer, then cook uncovered for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until the excess water cooks out and the sauce is thick and rich.  Stir as needed to prevent scorching.  You may wish to use a spatter-screen to minimize the mess on your stove top.

While the sauce is cooking, prepare about 12 to 16 ounces of spaghetti per package instructions.  Drain and serve hot topped with a generous ladle-full of sauce.

Serve with your favorite green salad, crusty french bread & butter, and pass the Parmesan!

Makes 4 to 6 servings, depending on appetites!

HAM & SWISS CASSEROLE

This yummy casserole has taken it's place alongside our family's favorites.  It is an outstanding way to use up leftover ham, and a delicious change-of-pace from conventional Mac & Cheese.

Hot from the oven and ready to eat!  Steamed fresh asparagus is an excellent choice to go with this dish.

HAM & SWISS MACARONI BAKE Creamy and packed with flavor, this is my next-to-favorite way to use up leftover ham -- second only to Ham & Scalloped Potatoes. :-)

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HAM & SWISS CASSEROLE

2 cups uncooked small elbow macaroni

2 to 3 cups of diced cooked ham (can be leftover or from deli)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1-1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 cup milk

8 oz. processed Gruyere Swiss cheese, shredded*

Cook the macaroni as directed on package.  Drain and transfer to a deep 3-quart baking dish.

Add diced ham, onion, diced peppers, the mushroom soup, black pepper, dry mustard, milk, and HALF of the shredded cheese.  Fold everything together until well distributed.  Smooth the surface with the side of a spatula, and top it all with the remaining Gruyere cheese.

Bake, covered, at 350ºF for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and increase oven temp to 400ºF.  Continue baking for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and mixture is bubbling.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4 to 6, depending on appetites.

Add a crisp green salad, and you've got a nicely balanced meal.

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*Gruyere cheese comes in two forms:  regular and processed.  Either will work, but the processed is MUCH better for cooking, as in this dish, because it melts really smoothly.  If you can't find it, try Fred Meyers.  That's where I got mine. 

SPANISH CORN & ZUCCHINI

I'm always looking for ways to use up zucchinis from our garden, since they are nearly always SO plentiful!  This delicious side-dish (or vegetarian main dish) combines those abundant zucchinis with the sweet corn that's in season at the same time.  It will make the most ordinary meal seem special.  It's quick and easy to prepare, too!  

SPANISH CORN & ZUCCHINI

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. young zucchinis, sliced 1/4" thick
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 small can of tomato sauce (approx. 8 ounces)
4 cups fresh sweet corn kernels, stripped from cob -or- 1 lb. frozen whole kernel corn
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 T. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried leaf oregano

If using fresh corn, strip off husks and silk and wash under running water.  Cut the kernels from the cob using a stripping tool or paring knife.  Measure 4 cups of kernels; set aside.


In a 10" skillet, saute the onion, green pepper, garlic and zucchini slices in the butter over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce, corn, sugar and seasonings.  Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.

Makes about 8 servings.
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 NOTES:

• You can easily substitute crookneck or pattypan squashes -- or any combination -- for the zucchinis.  Just be sure to choose young ones.  The older/larger they get, the bigger and more abundant the seeds will be.  In fact, if your squashes contain largish seeds, you may want to scoop them out and discard them.
• One ear of fresh corn should yield about one cup of cut kernels, so you will need 4 or 5 ears.  You can even use leftover cooked corn on the cob for this dish.

ARRABIATA PASTA SAUCE

This is a recipe I developed in an effort to copy one I had at Olive Garden.  I think I've got a pretty good knock-off here :-)

Arrabiata sauce is SPICY, so here's a tip:  let the sauce cook long enough for the flavors to develop before adjusting any seasonings.  You'll want to taste it before you add more chiles, or you could quickly wind up with a sauce too spicy to eat!

Anyway, without further ado, here is the recipe:

ARRABIATA  PASTA  SAUCE

2 T. EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

1 cup diced onion

2 oz. garlic, peeled & coarsely chopped (see NOTES)

28 oz. diced tomatoes in juice (undrained; 1 large or 2 small cans)

1 tsp. crushed red peppers

1 bay leaf

1/8 c. fresh basil, julienned

6 oz. tomato paste (1 small can)

1 T. EVOO (yes, another one)

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. sea salt, or to taste

Heat 2 T. EVOO in a large skillet.  Sweat the onions and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.  Add all tomatoes, tomato paste and crushed chiles.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Next add the fresh basil, the 1 T. EVOO, sea salt and black pepper.  Continue simmering for another 15 minutes (or longer).

Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.  Serve over hot cooked pasta (I really like capellini  [aka angel hair]), and top with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Serves 6 to 8.

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NOTES:

•  Two ounces of garlic is roughly equal to one whole "head".  Personally, I find the small inner cloves of garlic tedious to peel, so I usually buy 2 heads and use just the largest outer cloves. About 8 large cloves should give you the 2 ozs. you need.

•  If you find that your tomatoes are too acidic-tasting (tart), simply add about 1 level tsp. sugar.  You won't taste it, but it will "soften" the tartness of the tomatoes.

•  If you prefer a less-chunky sauce, just give this a quick blitz with an immersion (stick) blender to smooth it out.

~ This sauce freezes really well.  You can freeze any leftovers, or even intentionally make a double batch and freeze for future meals.  Fill 2-cup freezer containers as full as possible allowing for the lid but, ideally, no air.  Seal tightly and freeze.  To thaw, place the frozen container in the microwave and zap for 20 minutes at 30% power.  Remove the lid and stir to break up any frozen lumps.  Return to the microwave and zap for 2 to 3 minutes on high.  Stir well before serving.  A two-cup container should be enough for 4 servings.